SABAM has just concluded an important agreement with GOOGLE. Thanks to this agreement,Google is now licensed for the music repertoire represented directly by SABAM and will paySABAM directly the royalties for its digital music service of songs in the whole of Europe, andeven beyond the European Union’s borders.

Why is this contract innovative?

Until today, digital licences for the online uses of SABAM’s repertoire have been granted for use inBelgium. SABAM entrusted its sister societies with royalties’ management when the online use of itsrepertoire occurred abroad.

The agreement concluded allows Google to obtain a licence, via a one-stop shop, for the onlinemulti-territorial use of SABAM’s repertoire on Google Play, Google’s digital entertainment destination.

Which are the advantages of such a contract?

A faster payment for the authors represented by SABAM. An intermediary, i.e. an authors’ societyabroad, shall no longer intervene in the management of their royalties. This will also lead to areduction of the running costs. For Google, there is an obvious administrative simplification and onesingle interlocutor as regards SABAM’s repertoire.

A world first for a medium-sized authors’ society:

After the large European authors’ societies, SABAM is glad to be the first medium-sized authors’society inside EU to offer a one-stop shop for the multi-territorial online use of its repertoire.

Sami VALKONEN, Head of International Music Licensing, Google Play: "We are thrilled to haveSABAM join the growing number of societies licensing Google Play on a pan-territorial basis. Theprogressive approach to licensing taken by SABAM serves as an example to societies across theEuropean Union and promotes licensed innovative services such as Google Play to be provided toconsumers Community wide, and beyond."

About SABAM

SABAM was founded in 1922 by authors and for authors. As a private company, SABAM manages and distributes the royalties that come to the authors. It is the intermediary between the creative artist and the user of the works. SABAM guarantees a fair remuneration of the authors for the use of their works outside the family circle.

Being the largest cultural company in Belgium, it represents 36,000 authors and more than 4 million creations. SABAM is playing an active role in the distribution of cultural products in Belgium and abroad by way of the support it grants to authors and of the network that it puts at disposal. SABAM represents the Belgian as well as the international musical repertoire.